Railway hopper car side wall construction

ABSTRACT

A railway hooper car having a folded plate side wall girder construction incorporating full length longitudinally extending corrugations having a generally trough shaped cross section to thereby form a side wall beam having vertical shear strength, transverse beam strength, as well as a high resistance to compressive stresses imposed by high buffing loads. Intermediate hopper partitions have stepped end portions to fit within the side wall corrugations.

United States Patent 1191 McNally et al. Feb. 5, 1974 [54] RAILWAYHOPPER CAR SIDE WALL 1,300,961 4/1919 Hart 105/248 CONSTRUCTION 131135 3s 105/409 llTlOl'lS/Oll 1 inventors: George y, South d, 2,3ll,l88 2/1943Nystrom 105 409 "1.; Floyd J. Brinks, Butler, Pa.; 3,087,759 4/1963Worster 105/282 R Sang H. Lee, Homewood, 111. 3,572,252 3 1971 Coover etal. 105/248 [73] Asslgnee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill. PrimaryExaminer oerald M Forlenza [22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1972 AssistantExaminer-Howard Beltran pp No': 302,613 Attorney, Agent, or F1rm-H1lmondO. Vogel [52] U S Cl 105/248 105/406 105/409 [57] ABSTRACT 511n1.c1..... B6ld 7/00, B61d 17/06, B6ld 17/08 g 9 fi [58] Field ofSearch 105/247, 248, 249, 282 R, "F"" f nally extending corrugationshavmg a generally trough 105/40], 406 R, 409, 410

shaped cross section to thereby form a side wall beam [561 CM31:115.,232 1157121...812 13322215: UNITED STATES PATENTS stressesimposed by high buffing loads. Intermediate Rl,2l,3 7/l86l Seely l05/40lhopper partitions have stepped end portions to fit i 92 within the sidewall corrugations. 1,058,784 4/1913 Murphy 104/409 8 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures PATENIEDFEB 5 I974 SHEEIZUFZ "Huh...

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l.Field of the Invention This invention deals with the car framing of arailway hopper car and in particular to the side wall construction.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art wall cross sections which havedeparted from the conventional sheet and vertical wall post constructiongenerally include corrugations extending vertically to provide acantilever beam member which is intended to direct lading bulging forcesinto the side sill and under frame units. Where horizontally extendingdepressed portions or corrugations have been utilized the side sheetalso included a combination of flat portions for use in attachingreinforcing members and also for use in providing resistance to shearingstresses which occur at a right angle to the direction of thehorizontally extending corrugation (see W. P. Murphy U. S. Pat. No.1,058,784). The present invention provides a pressed or corrugated sidewall configuration having integral strength both in a horizontal andvertical shearing direction and also providing a wall beam givingcompressive strength to the side wall unit to resist buffing loadsduring car movement.

SUMMARY This invention relates to a novel side wall construction for usein a railway hopper car wherein the side wall includes a plurality ofadjacent longitudinally and horizontally extending corrugations withinclined and vertical portions providing a trough shaped cross sectionand giving resistance to both horizontal and vertical shear forceswithout the use of vertical wall posts or other stiffening members.

The railcar of the present invention also includes a generally slopedroof section having a stepped cross section and thereby forming aplurality of Z-shaped bending beams which combine with the side wallassembly to resist horizontal bulging forces which are imposed upon theside wall unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a side wall sheethaving a corrugated cross section and extending in a generally straightvertical plane to provide maximum volumetric efficiency and maximum capacity for the hopper car while yet providing an intergrally sound wallunit having a lightweight construction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a side wallunit having longitudinally extending and integrally formed trough shapedcorrugations of such dimension to adequately resist both horizontallyand vertically imposed shearing stresses.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a railwayhopper car having a corrugated side wall construction and a stepped roofconstruction which combineswith the side wall unit to provide a Z-shaped bending beam capable of resisting the bulging tendency of theside wall unit and also to impart vertical strength to the roof unit. 7

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent fromreference to the following description, attached drawings and appendedclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of arailway hopper car having the side wall construction of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the railway vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the side sheet of the present inventionremoved from the railway vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of one half of the car illustrated in FIG. 1and taken generally along lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a removed cross sectional view lines 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingsand in particular to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a covered hopper cardesignated generally by the numeral 10 and having a center sill 12extending between the spaced trucks 14. Longitudinally extending sidesill units 16 extend the length of the vehicle and transmit forces fromthe body bolsters (not illustrated) into the car body. End sill units 18extend transversely of the hopper car 10 and are positioned on top ofthe center sill l2. Corner posts 20 extend vertically from the end sill18 to form a rigid car end section. Additional connecting andreinforcing angle post members 22 extend vertically from the end sill I8to the end wall or end bulkhead 24 to further rigidify the car endportion.

The corrugated side wall unit is designated by the numeral 26 and isillustrated removed from the vehicle in FIG. 3 to clearly indicate thecontinuous corrugations. These corrugated side wall units 26 aretransversely spaced about the covered hopper car 10 and are joinedmidway of the car 10 by the partitions or intermediate bulkheads 28which extend vertically and transversely of the vehicle to join the sidewall units and to form the adjacent hoppers of the hopper car. The topportion of the intermediate bulkheads 28 is illustrated in FIG. 6 whichshows a partition stiffener 29 which is a modified U-shaped memberattached to the top of the bulkhead 28 to prevent bulging of thebulkhead 28 and also to prevent bulging of the corrugated side wall unit26. Thus it is noticed that the stiffener 29 is subjected to a tensileload in resisting the outward movement of the side wall units 26 andalso undergoes a bending and compressive type of loading during carimpact as the lading within the hopper surges against the bulkhead 28and tends to cause membrane displacement of the bulkhead. Stifl'ener 29also combines with the roof unit 36 to form a reinforcing beampositioned atop the partition unit 28.

As noticed in FIG. 4, the wall connecting side portions of each bulkhead28 include a generally stepped profile to permit the bulkheads to beinserted into the corrugations of the side wall unit 26. A connectingplate 30 extends the height of the side wall unit 26 and at theconnecting point of the bulkheads 28 with the side wall unit 26 toprovide a convenient and efficient connecting plate for the joining ofthese two members. When a series of side wall plates are abuttedtogether to form the longitudinally extending side wall unit theconnecting edges may be positioned at the transversely taken alongextending bulkheads 28 and the connecting plate 30 may be positionedover the welded connection to rigidify the connection of the side wallplates.

The hopper car also includes a pair of downwardly and inwardly slopedend slope sheets 31 and similarly disposed intermediate slope sheets 32which direct lading towards the discharge gate 34 for its efficientremoval from the hopper car. The end slope sheets 31, like theintermediate bulkheads, have stepped or serrated ends to allow thesheets 31 to be ieceiyed by the corrugations of the side wall units 26.

The hopper car includes a generally sloped roof 36 having a steppedcross section which imparts vertical and horizontal strength to the roofunit. A plurality of vertically extending webs or stiffeners 37, 37acombine with the generally horizontally extending flange portions 38,38a and 38b to provide a pair of interconnected Z-shaped beam membershaving a common flange unit 380. The roof 36 includes a box beam coamingmember 40 which extends longitudinally of the roof to provide atorsionally reinforced trough hatch opening. The trough hatch cover 42cooperates with the coaming 40 to seal off the trough hatch opening.

A top chord or side plate 44 is positioned at the juncture of the roof36 and the side wall unit 26 to rigidify the connection between thesetwo units. The top chord 44 also provides a side wall member forresisting the bulging tendency of the side wall 26 and serves as atransverse beam flange that also consists of the web 38 and Z-shapedbeam 37.

FIG. 4 shows a side wall lower flat section 50 which connects with theside still 16 and permits easy attachment of the intermediate slopesheets 32 without contouring as would be required if the lower wallsection was not flat. Likewise the upper wall portion 51 is flat forconnection to the top chord 44.

The corrugated side wall unit 26 as shown in cross section in FIG. 4includes a plurality of vertically extending outer portions 46 which arehorizontally spaced from a similar plurality of vertically extendinginner portions 47. The vertically extending portions 46 and 47 areinterconnected by the diagonals 48 to thereby form a series of generallytrough shaped corrugations to provide a side wall unit having sufficientstrength to resist both horizontal and vertical shear loads.Traditionally all wall sheets having horizontally extending corrugationswere in need of the addition or attachment of vertically extendingreinforcing members because of the inherent inability of thesecorrugations to resist shearing stresses in a direction at right anglesto the direction of the corrugations. By utilizing a corrugation whichis comprised of a series of straight interconnected portions the sidewall unit of the present invention has the stiffness to adequatelyresist horizontal and vertical shear stresses as well as a sufficientbeam depth to resist compressive buckling stresses which are imposed ona side wall unit The foregoing description and drawings merely explainand illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto.except insofar as the appended claims are so limited. as those skilledin the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to makemodifications and variations therein without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway hopper car having a plurality of hoppers for storage andtransport of lading and having interme diate and end slope sheets fordirecting lading towards discharge openings and having a longitudinallyextending side sill and having a top chord fixedly attached to a roofunit, the improvement comprising:

a continuous side wall unit having a corrugated girder constructioncomprising a plurality of trough shaped offsets;

said trough shaped offsets comprising a vertically extending innerportion having a pair of diagonally extending trough side portionsextending therefrom;

vertically extending outer wall portions interconnecting the diagonallyextending trough side portions of each adjacent trough shaped offset tothereby provide said corrugated girder construction having beam strengthto resist side wall unit bulging.

2. The invention according to claim I, and:

intermediate hopper partitions including a reinforcing channel extendingto connect the top chord of each side wall unit and thereby combiningwith the roof unit to form a reinforcing beam atop said hopper car toprovide rigidity to the upper portions of the side wall units and thepartition.

3. The invention according to claim 1, and:

intermediate hopper partitions having vertically extending contouredside edges receivable in the trough shaped offsets of the adjacent sidewall unit whereby bulging forces on the side wall unit result in tensileresisting loading of the intermediate hopper partitions.

4. The invention according to claim 3, and:

a connecting plate fitting the contour of the side wall unit and forminga connection between the side wall unit and the intermediate hopperpartitions.

5. The invention according to claim 1, and:

said trough shaped offsets extending the length of the hopper car tointerconnect the spaced end slope sheets.

6. The invention according to claim 1, and:

said continuous side wall unit having upper and lower car attachingportions being attached to said hopper car top chord and side stillunits and said corrugated girder construction extending continuously ofsaid hopper car intermediate the upper and lower car attaching portions.

7. The invention according to claim 1, and:

said end slope sheets having serrated transverse edge portionsreceivable in the trough shaped offsets of said side wall unit.

3. A side wall unit for a railway hopper car and in' cluding:

continuous sheet means extending the length of said hopper car andhaving an upper car attachment portion and a lower car attachmentportion;

said sheet means having integrally formed corrugations providing aplurality of longitudinally continuous trough shaped offsets providingbeam strength to the side wall unit to resist horizontal and verticalshear loading;

said trough shaped offsets comprising a vertically extending innerportion having a pair of diagonally extending trough side portionsextending outwardly therefrom;

vertically extending outer wall portions interconnect ing the diagonallyextending trough side portions of each adjcaent trough shaped offset tothereby provide a corrugated girder coonstruction resisting wall unitbulging in both a horizontal and vertical direction.

k IO! 1

1. A railway hopper car having a plurality of hoppers for storage andtransport of lading and having intermediate and end slope sheets fordirecting lading towards discharge openings and having a longitudinallyextending side sill and having a top chord fixedly attached to a roofunit, the improvement comprising: a continuous side wall unit having acorrugated girder construction comprising a plurality of trough shapedoffsets; said trough shaped offsets comprising a vertically extendinginner portion having a pair of diagonally extending trough side portionsextending therefrom; vertically extending outer wall portionsinterconnecting the diagonally extending trough side portions of eachadjacent trough shaped offset to thereby provide said corrugated girderconstruction having beam strength to resist side wall unit bulging. 2.The invention according to claim 1, and: intermediate hopper partitionsincluding a reinforcing channel extending to connect the top chord ofeach side wall unit and thereby combininG with the roof unit to form areinforcing beam atop said hopper car to provide rigidity to the upperportions of the side wall units and the partition.
 3. The inventionaccording to claim 1, and: intermediate hopper partitions havingvertically extending contoured side edges receivable in the troughshaped offsets of the adjacent side wall unit whereby bulging forces onthe side wall unit result in tensile resisting loading of theintermediate hopper partitions.
 4. The invention according to claim 3,and: a connecting plate fitting the contour of the side wall unit andforming a connection between the side wall unit and the intermediatehopper partitions.
 5. The invention according to claim 1, and: saidtrough shaped offsets extending the length of the hopper car tointerconnect the spaced end slope sheets.
 6. The invention according toclaim 1, and: said continuous side wall unit having upper and lower carattaching portions being attached to said hopper car top chord and sidestill units and said corrugated girder construction extendingcontinuously of said hopper car intermediate the upper and lower carattaching portions.
 7. The invention according to claim 1, and: said endslope sheets having serrated transverse edge portions receivable in thetrough shaped offsets of said side wall unit.
 8. A side wall unit for arailway hopper car and including: continuous sheet means extending thelength of said hopper car and having an upper car attachment portion anda lower car attachment portion; said sheet means having integrallyformed corrugations providing a plurality of longitudinally continuoustrough shaped offsets providing beam strength to the side wall unit toresist horizontal and vertical shear loading; said trough shaped offsetscomprising a vertically extending inner portion having a pair ofdiagonally extending trough side portions extending outwardly therefrom;vertically extending outer wall portions interconnecting the diagonallyextending trough side portions of each adjcaent trough shaped offset tothereby provide a corrugated girder coonstruction resisting wall unitbulging in both a horizontal and vertical direction.